Process and apparatus for spinning a yarn



Nov. 10, 1959 K. GbTZFRIED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPINNING A YARN Filed Dec. 13, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 PKMIIM Nov. 10, 1959 K. G6TZFRIED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPINNING A YARN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 13, 1956 INVENTOR. KoMllM? 6011mm??- Affm'lueq Nov. 10, 1959 K. G6TZFRIED 2,911,783

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPINNING A YARN Filed D80. 13, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 vvvrv l7a I F QiRI/Z Fig. /Z

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AffoR-NE I and Figure. 12 is a vertical section of another constructional United States Patent PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPINNING A YARN Konrad Gtitzfried, Augsburg-Goggingen, Germany Application December 13, 1956, Serial No. 628,116

Claims priority, application Germany December 16, 1955 12 Claims. (Cl. 57-5835) The invention relates to a process for spinning a thread or yarn pneumatically. The invention has for its object to produce a twisted yarn from individual fibres by purely pneumatic methods without using the known mechanical spinning frames and associated preparatory machines. It is a further object of the invention to provide a very uniform yarn with an adequate breaking strength by uniform distribution of the fibres, and to raise production considerably as compared with the known mechanical spinning process. A further object of the invention is to provide so-called soft-handle yarns which comprise an outer layer consisting of fibres twisted comparatively loosely, but a more highly twisted core of high breaking strength.

It is a further object of the invention to produce in a single pneumatic spinning operation a yarn which is spun from different types of fibre material and comprises for example a hard core of synthetic fibre with a high breaking strength and an outer layer of woolen fibres or cotton fibres.

In the process according to the invention, a helical whirling suction current is produced, the length of which is several times its diameter and the velocity of which at the start is substantially greater than at the end. The suction current has fibres supplied thereto laterally and at a distance from the start of the whirling suction current, the said fibres oscillating in a suction air stream forming yarn which is withdrawn in a direction opposite to the axial flow direction of the whirling current.

The details of this novel pneumatic spinning process are more fully explained hereinafter by reference to the constructional examples shown in the drawing, wherein:

Figure l. is a vertical section of a pneumatic spinning arrangement;

Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sections on the lines II-II and III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section of a fibreplucking and supply device with a distributor head;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of this distributor head;

Figure 6 shows the plucking strip of the plucking roller according to Figures 1 and 4;

Figure 7 is a vertical section through a pneumatic spinning tube according to the invention, to a larger scale;

Figure 8 is a cross-section on the line VIII--VIII of Figure 7;

Figures 9 and 10 show diagrammatically another constructional form of pneumatic spinning tubes;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of a particular form of the suction orifice or nozzle of a spinning tube;

form of a spinning tube.

In the drawing, 1 represents a spinning tube, 2 a suction orifice and 3 a suction tube which opens into the spinning tube 1 at a distance from the orifice 2- and which serves for the supply of the fibres floating in a stream of air and indicated at 4. The spinning tube is surrounded in spaced relation by a casing tube 28, which 2,911,783 Patented Nov. 10, 1959 is tightly connected at one end at 30 to the orifice or nozzle 2 and at the other end is connected to a suction pipe 14 which leads to a source of suction (suction pump or fan). 19, a narrow axial outlet opening 16 for the spun thread 17 and at least one but preferably two suction openings 20 opening into the axial bore 19. The thread 17 spun in the spinning tube 1 is withdrawn by means of the front rollers 18 in the direction E, that is to say, in a direction opposite to the axis of the whirling suction current F, and is wound on to a spool 21.

The fibres 4 supplied to the spinning tube 1 through the suction tube 3 are drawn in through a suction nozzle 5 disposed at the end of the said tube 3. Referring to the constructional example shown in Figure 1, a sliver 6 (for example a carded or drawing frame sliver) is pro vided as initial material, which sliver is drawn through a condenser 15 and is supplied by means of a delivery roller 8 co-operating with a polished plate 22 to a driven plucking roller 9, which co-operates with an endless elastic belt 12 made of rubber or the like and led over rollers 10 and 11. By means of this roller 9, the fibres or small bundles of fibres are plucked from the sliver 6, and are sucked into the suction nozzle 5.

As will be seen from Figures 4 and 6, the plucking roller 9 comprises toothed bars 9a which are wound helically and which are so formed that short tooth-like plucking edges 9b are provided, which ensure the fibres are uniformly plucked from the sliver.

When using a sliver consisting of continuous synthetic filaments, the plucking roller 9 is replaced by a suitable breaking device, so that by this means staple fibres are constantly obtained from the sliver and are drawn in by the suction nozzle 5. 1

Referring to the advantageous constructional form shown in Figures 4 and 5, the suction pipe 3 comprising the suction nozzle 5 is connected to a distributorhead 23, which is preferably made circular and from which several supply pipes 30 to 312 are led to a plurality of juxtaposed spinning tubes 10 to 111. In order to prevent fibres from remaining in the distributor head 23 and thus causing clogging, the distributor head can be provided with suction orifices 25. With several spinning pipes arranged adjacent one another, as shown in Figure 4, the cone spools 21 are suitably arranged in series one above theother for winding the threads 17. 7

Connected to the fibres supply tube 3 is a pot 26 or the I like, in which the heavier husk particles are separated out. The fibres are fed at 13 into a whirling suction current. This is generated in the spinning tube 1 by air suction at 14, the air entering through the tangential ducts 20' of the nozzle 2 and being sucked in at this point. The outlet bore 16 for the thread or yarn is made so narrow that the spun thread easily passes therethrough but only a small amount of air is drawn in through this bore. The main quantity of the air drawn in through the openings 20 is given a strong rotational movement by the tangential arrangement of the openings 20, so that a very strong whirling effect is produced, as indicated atv B and C in Figure 7. .A very powerful helical suction current is thus set up in the spinning tube 1. Due to V the arrangement of holes 27 in the spinning tube and the baffle rings 24. arranged at intervals in the latter, this.

I tube. A constantly increasing twist is thus applied to the The suction nozzle 2 has an axial bore rotating thread 17 formed from the fibres in this spinning tube, this twist increasing from the start of the thread in the vicinity of the end In of the suction tube up to the withdrawal point 16, so that a fully twisted thread is produced. The fibres coming into the range of the rotating thread wrap around the latter, so that there is at the same time produced a stretching of he fibres longitudinally of the thread and a substantially parallel relationship of the fibres.

For initiating the spinning, it is merely necessary for one end of the thread to be introduced into the opening 16, which is preferably funnel-shaped. The new thread is then constantly formed on this thread end which is immediately sucked in, and this new thread can then be withdrawn by means of the pair of rollers 18.

Due to the helical whirling current in the spinning tube 1, a thread whirling helically is produced in this tube, which thread has a very high peripheral velocity and, with transparent tubes 1 and 28, shows the appearance of a hose, as indicated at 17a in Figure 7. It may be advantageous to choose for the spinning tube 1 a material which has frictional electricity and thus produces a static charging of the fibres, by which the velocity can be slowed down and the winding tendency can be increased.

The thread friction with the baffie rings 24 can be reduced by making these bathe rings preferably conical with a narrow polished edge 33.

As will be apparent from the drawing, the arrangement is such that the air stream for the supply of fibres enters the whirling current at a distance from the commencement of the latter. In the latter case, this relatively great distance is about 5 to 10 times the diameter of the spinning tube. By this means, the actual thread formation, i.e. the deposition of the fibres and the wrapping thereof, is restricted to that part of the spinning tube which extends from 1a to 13.

From the point 13 and as far as the thread outlet 16, the spun thread is however further twisted strongly by the whirling current, so that thereby the breaking strength of the thread is increased. 7

As will be seen from Figures 1 and 7, the supply tube opens into the spinning tube 1 at 13 at an acute angle to the axis of the spinning tube. This fibre supply tube 3 can also open tangentially into the spinning tube if required, as indicated in Figure 3.

By far the largest amount of the fibres supplied at 13 is deposited on the thread end extending as far as the end In of the spinning tube, so that only a small part of the fibres is conducted through the suction pipe 14 into a collecting container. This fibre material can readily be further processed, for example to form a sliver.

With reference'to the example shown diagrammatically in Figure9. the bent-over end 31 of a spinning tube 11' serving as fibre supply tube is extended into a second spinning tube 1k which is arranged in the opposite direction; the fibres not used in the spinning tube 1i are therefore introduced by the pipe bend 31 into the second spinning tube 1k, and serves herein for the penumatic spinning of a thread in the pipe 1k.

If necessary, as indicated in Figure 10, the end of a spinning tube 1 can also be connected by a pipe line 32 to the fibre supply tube 3 in such manner that the fibres issuing from the spinning tube 1 are re-supplied in a cycle to the same spinning tube. As illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the suction nozzles of several juxtaposed spinning tubes can form a beam-like unit 2a. The spinning tubes in this case can be arranged very closely adjacent one another, so that the length of such a pneumatic spinning machine is substantially smaller than that of the known spinning machines.

The pneumatic spinning arragement according to'the invention can be operated with a vacuum ranging between approximately a 120 mm. and 600 mm. water column. If the operation is carried out with 'a smaller vacuum, a larger quantity of air is necessary for spinning purposes and the cross-sections of the suction openings and the spinning tubes must be chosen to be larger. When using a higher vacuum, on the other hand, the cross-sections of the suction openings, spinning tubes etc., can be correspondingly smaller.

Using the novel, spinning arrangement, it is possible for difierent fibre materials to be spun in a spinning tube. For example with the arrangement according to Figure 1, two lengths of fibres which are of different nature or colour can for example be supplied jointly through the condenser 15 to the plucking roller 9 and the suction nozzle 5.

With the spinning arrangement shown in Figure 12, the spinning tube 1 can have different types of fibres supplied thereto by means of pipes 3a and 3b, which are arranged at a relatively large distance from one another. Softhandle yarns can for example be produced by a synthetic fibre of very high breaking strength being supplied by the tube 3a, which fibre then forms the high-strength thread core, while a thread covering having a soft handle is formed by supplying wool, cotton or like fibres through the pipe 3a.

Finally, with the constructional form shown in Figure 11, a rotatably mounted and driven tube 35 is provided in the suction nozzle 34 for the outlet of the thread, the outlet orifice 36 of the said tube being cylindrical, although this opening can also comprise several edges. This tube can for example be driven by means of a small turbine wheel 37, which is driven by air drawn in at 38, the said air finally entering through openings 20 tangentially into the bore 19 of the nozzle. Due to this rotatable tube 35, the twist of the thread can be still further increased.

' By suitable supply of fibres and also by regulating, for example throttling, the stream of suction air, the thickness of the thread can be regulated. The novel pneumatic spinning arrangement according to the invention permits the production of a very uniform yarn having an adequate breaking strength and an excellent carded yarn character.

What I claim is:

1. Process for pneumatically spinning a thread, comprising the steps of: generating a helically whirling current of air by'application of suction to a substantially tubular enclosure at one end thereof and thereby drawing air into said enclosure in tangential direction at the other end thereof; regulating said whirling current so as to slow down its circumferential and longitudinal movement in said tubular enclosure so as to gradually decrease from a maximum at said other end towards a lower velocity at said one end; introducing, by application of said suction, fibres in a substantially linear current of air into said tubular enclosure in an area thereof where the velocity of said whirling current therein is substantially lower than at said other end so that said fibres are spun by said whirling current to form a thread; and continuously removing said thread from said enclosure at said other end thereof by mechanical pull in a direction opposite to said longitudinal movement of said whirling current while its twist is being increased by the action of said whirling current increasing in velocity towards said other end of said enclosure.

2. Process for pneumatically spinning a thread, comprising the steps of: generating a helically whirling current of air by application of suction to a substantially tubular enclosure at one end thereof and thereby drawing air into said enclosure in tangential direction at the other end thereof; regulating said whirling current so as to slow down its circumferential and longitudinal movement in said tubular enclosure so as to gradually decrease from a maximum at said other end towards a lower velocity at said one end; introducing, by application of said suction, fibres in a plurality of substantially linear currents of air into said tubular enclosure in separate areas thereof consecutively spaced from each other in .5 longitudinal direction where the velocity of said whirling current therein is substantially lower than at said other end so that said fibres are spun by said whirling current to form a thread composed of the fibres consecutively introduced into said enclosure; and continuously removing said thread from said enclosure at said other end thereof by mechanical pull in a direction opposite to said longitudinal movement of said whirling current while its twist is being increased by the action of said whirling current increasing in velocity towards said other end of said enclosure.

3. Process for pneumatically spinning a thread, comprising the steps of: generating a helically whirling current of air by application of suction to a substantially tubular enclosure at one end thereof and thereby drawing air into said enclosure in tangential direction at the other end thereof; regulating said whirling current so as to slow down its circumferential and longitudinal movement in said tubular enclosure so as to gradually decrease from a maximum at said other end towards a lower velocity at said one end; plucking mechanically fibres from a sliver fed from stock and introducing, by application of said suction, said fibres in a substantially linear current of air into said tubular enclosure in an area thereof where the velocity of said whirling current therein in substantially lower than at said other end so that said fibres are spun by said whirling current to form a thread; and continuously removing said thread from said enclosure at said other end thereof by mechanical pull in a direction opposite to said longitudinal movement of said whirling current while its twist is being increased by the action of said whirling current increasing in velocity towards said other end of said enclosure.

4. Process for pneumatically spinning a thread, comprising the steps of: generating a helically whirling current of air by application of suction to a substantially tubular enclosure at one end thereof and thereby drawing air into said enclosure in tangential direction at the other end thereof; regulating said whirling current so as to slow down its circumferential and longitudinal movement in said tubular enclosure so as to gradually decrease from a maximum at said other end towards a lower velocity at said one end; breaking up a continuous supply of continuous filaments of synthetic material into staple fibres and introducing, by application of said suction, said fibres in a substantially linear current of air into said tubular enclosure in an area thereof where the velocity of said whirling current therein is substantially lower than at said other end so that said fibres are spun by said whirling current to form a thread; and continuously removing said thread from said enclosure at said other end thereof by mechanical pull in a direction opposite to said longitudinal movement of said whirling current while its twist is being increased by the action of said whirling current increasing in velocity towards said other end of said enclosure.

5. Pneumatic spinning apparatus, comprising, in combination, a spinning tube provided with a plurality of mutually spaced radial holes of predetermined size and distributed substantially over its whole length; a nozzle member coaxially connected to one end of said spinning tube and having a narrow axial opening of sufiicient diameter for permitting the passage of a thread spun in said tube, said nozzle member having further a central axial bore between said opening and said tube attached thereto and at least one lateral inlet opening leading tangentially into said bore; a substantially tubular casing surrounding said spinning tube and radially spaced therefrom, having a closed end in the vicinity of said nozzle member and being open at the opposite end so as to be adapted to be connected to a source of negative pressure; tubular fibre feeding means laterally branched olf from said spinning tube in an area spaced from said nozzle member and ending in a suction nozzle; mechanical feed means located opposite said suction nozzle and capable of feeding continuously fibre material to said suction nozzle; and mechanical pull means for pulling a thread spun in said tube outwardly through said narrow axial opening of said nozzle member, whereby upon application of suction by said source of negative pressure to said casing a stream of air is drawn in through said lateral inlet opening of said nozzle member causing a helically whirling air current moving within said spinning tube toward the remote end of the latter, the velocity of said current being gradually reduced due to the portion of air drawn out through said radial holes of said tube, while simultaneously said fibre material is drawn in by said suction nozzle and delivered into said whirling current so as to form a thread therein which is then pulled from said nozzle member axially and in a direction opposite to that of said whirling air current by said mechanical pull means.

6. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said spinning tube is provided with inside bafiie means for gradually and predeterminedly slowing down the velocity of said whirling air current so that the twisting action thereof on said thread and fibre material is greatest near said nozzle member and substantially smaller in the area where said tubular fibre feeding means are branched 01f said spinning tube.

7. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tubular fibre feeding means is spaced a sufficient distance from said nozzle member for introducing said fibre material into said whirling air current where the velocity of the latter is substantially slower than near said nozzle member.

8. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tubular fibre feeding means includes a plurality of separate tubular feeding means branched off said spinning tube in separate areas thereof consecutively spaced from each other in longitudinal direction for introducing separate supplies of fibre material into said whirling air current at spaced points thereof.

9. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said mechanical feed means comprises first feed means for feeding a sliver of fibre material, a plucking roller adjacent to said first feed means and a resilient endless belt movable past said plucking roller, said plucking roller being provided with helically wound toothed engagement ribs and adapted to engage fibres, delivered by said first feed means, between said ribs and said belt and to deliver fibres to said suction nozzle.

10. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first feed means includes a condenser device adapted to straighten the flow of fibre material through said first feed means and toward said plucking roller and belt combination.

l1. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tubular fibre feeding means branch off from said spinning tube at an acute angle the apex of which points toward the end of said tube opposite to that one connected to said nozzle member.

12. Spinning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tubular fibre feeding means is branched off said spinning tube in such a manner that air drawn in through said tubular feeding means enters the inner space of said tube in a substantially tangential direction matching the circumferential component of said helically whirling current in said spinning tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,604 Phillips et al. Dec. 27, 1904 2,338,570 Childs Jan. 4, 1944 2,451,504 Mayo Oct. 19, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 522,271 Belgium Sept. 15, 1953 

